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Shaping Europe’s digital future
  • EVENT
  • Publication 28 November 2024

Digital Decade Strategic Workshop

The Second Half of the Digital Decade and a new EU Commission: What matters, and what’s next?

A blue banner with white text and a calendar icon announces a workshop titled "The Second Half of the Digital Decade & a new EU Commission." The workshop will take place on Thursday, December 12th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The hashtag #DigitalEU is included.

Objectives of the Workshop

  • Gather and discuss perceptions of where EU citizens/businesses stand on issues related to the EU’s digital transformation;
  • Connect the 2024 State of the Digital Decade report and the next 2025 State of the Digital Decade Report with EU citizens/businesses’ concerns and communicate on the solutions that innovators are developing;
  • Reflect and discuss the priorities of the next EU mandate related to the digital transformation, including competitiveness and the green transition;
  • Communicate about the Digital Decade in the context of the new EU mandate, to raise awareness about the usefulness of the Digital Decade Policy Programme (DDPP), including by showcasing how it connects with people and ‘on the ground’ realities.

Questions for Discussion

  • How can the EU deliver a digital transformation for this Decade and beyond:
    • With solutions that can help Europe raise its competitiveness?
    • With concrete examples that can be found in Europe, which can help unlock the potential of digital technologies for the green transition?
    • With concrete solutions that work hand in hand with the needs and expectations of the Union’s citizens and enterprises?

Format

For each ‘pillar’, we would invite a number of experts to give the impulse for discussion, with reactions from a selection of representatives.

Draft Agenda

10:00 – 10:15 -  Introduction by the European Commission on the Digital Decade Policy Programme & results of the second Digital Decade report (+ EU priorities) - Eric Peters, Acting Head of Unit, Digital Decade Implementation, DG CNECT

10:15 – 10:30 - Keynote – Marietje Schaake, non-resident Fellow at Stanford's Cyber Policy Center and at the Institute for Human-Centered AI

10:30 – 11:45 - The role of the EU’s digital transformation in strategic sovereignty and resilience

Speakers:

  • Paloma Lopez-Garcia, Adviser at the Economics Directorate, European Central Bank
  • Solveigh Hieronimus, Senior Partner, McKinsey

Reactions from:

  • Anthony Gooch Gálvez, Secretary General, European Round Table for Industry
  • Pawel Swieboda, Senior Fellow, European Policy Centre and Senior Fellow, International Centre for Future Generations
  • Jean Gil Barroca, Global Public Sector Digital Modernisation Lead, Deloitte

11:45 – 12:00 - Coffee break

12:00 – 13:15 - Twinning the transition to enhance EU competitiveness in the green and digital economy

Speakers:

  • Siddharth Singh, Energy Investment Analyst, Energy and AI, International Energy Agency (IEA)
  • Samira Gazzane, AI and Machine Learning Policy Lead, World Economic Forum

Reactions from:

  • Kat Borlongan, European Innovation Council Board Member
  • Alexandra Paul, Global Public Policy Lead, PASQAL
  • Ilias Iakovidis, Adviser, Digital aspects of the green transition, European Commission

13:15 – 14:15 - Break

14:15 – 15:30 -  A new digital deal for Europeans

Speakers:

  • Mar Negreiro, Policy Analyst, Digital Policies Unit, European Parliament Research Service
  • André Sobczak, Secretary General, Eurocities
  • Christine Tresignie, Managing Director, European Public Affairs, Ipsos Belgium

Reactions from:

  • Katrīna Zariņa, EESC Rapporteur on the evaluation of the Digital Europe Programme and Management Board member of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • Rian van Dam, Mayor Hollands Kroon (NL) & Vice-Chair Commission Information Society, Association of Dutch municipalities (VNG)

15:30 – 15:45 - Conclusions and closing by the European Commission - Kamila Kloc, Director, Connectivity and Digital Decade, DG CNECT